The Flute of Death, the Flower of Life: The Chronicles of Shun
by Lilacstream
Summary: Shun-Ou has fallen, and Shunki discovers a graver fate for his people; a savage killer he could not see. Meanwhile, Shinkai finds herself in troubled waters as she tries to forget Shun and live normally in her new home in Kei. But she could feel the Guild's eyes mocking her as they release the monster she had created. She has to return or the blood of thousands will be in her hands
1. Chapter 1: You Province

**十二国旗－計大刻 (Twelve Kingdoms: _Fanfiction_)**

**一文 (Chapter 1)**

用権 (In You Province)

"Tentei has bequeathed,

Another fruitful year -

Sing Sekiraku -

Let the heavens hear!"

As if to mingle with the joyful hymn, the summer breeze answered with a gentle sweep across the verdant rice plains, driving the soft green stalks in a graceful dance. The women giggled as tiny droplets of water showered on their feet. The sun was perfect for hanging the freshly washed clothes to dry. Children ran to and fro carrying little grass baskets of vibrant red and golden berries with occasional dandelions and wild sunflowers from the rolling hills a short hike from the humble village. You Province had never been this peaceful after the stormy reign of the previous empresses.

Without a single _youma_ lingering beyond their rickety wooden fences, each family could gather everyone outside to bask under the clear sky without fearing an attack. Kei, currently ruled by Empress Youko, the Red Child, truly manifested the prosperity of a land proud of following the Way. It has been ten years since she took her rightful place as the Queen of the easternmost kingdom, and the earth has observed intently how its barren fields blossomed with colors of life. Judgments have been passed around reaching even the ears of the southern province - almost no one would want to rock the boat complimenting the marvelous job exhibited by the Royal Kei.

The city of Gyouten was miles away from the tiny section where the village belonged. No one has seen Her Highness personally. But You Province has started to flourish this much as she ascended the throne, and the people were contented like the mild wind passing - well, except for a small household located at the abandoned woods at the farthest end of the village. No one but a young woman lived there by now as the family of five barely escaped from the _youma_ siege during the fake empress Jyoei's reign. Neighbors sometimes would visit her to see how she was faring, but most of the time to consult her about certain health problems.

Even at the lane of comfort, You Province still lacked a few basic necessities such as qualified doctors. The whole region had only one, and he was often out to Gyouten to bring and look after the fatally ill as they were transferred to better hospitals. People had nowhere to go but to the old shack with a very bad-tempered curer.

Elders called her Shinkai by her given name, but the village children addressed her as "Keirin". When asked, the little ones reasoned that if the Kei _Taiho_ had been a woman, he would be as cranky and stiff just like her. But unlike the right hand man of the Empress, the girl was just believed to be plainly afraid of the crowd rather than strict. The villagers however did not mind much of Shinkai's attitude including her messy ebony black hair as she never turned down any patient who stepped beneath her eaves. Deep inside, as the people were concerned, she was a very benevolent young woman. It was really what she has gone through that kept her from opening to others to relieve the emotional burden. Nonetheless, altogether, her neighbors loved her.

Shinkai on the other hand had no interest in their affection. Her conscience just honestly cannot be out to rest whenever someone knocked on her door. She gave everything she could offer to the people. But lingering inside her mind was a threat she longed to forget from a distant memory.

_They'll die eventually. All of them. Just like that night when you had to burn them alive._

Whenever her horrors racked her brain for good, Shinkai had to shove her special herbal medicine to the patient and drive them back. This was the only chance that her "sage" hands failed to work their miracle. Her foster father was the real medicine expert so the title never seemed to ring sweetly in her ears, and he developed the formula of her secret mix. Kouryuu was used to be looked up by the villagers for the same skills that they now appointed to Shinkai. But unlike his daughter, he was more sociable and always seen in his cheerful smiling face. He taught everything that Shinkai knew about curing diseases.

Since Kouryuu, her foster mother, Eiri, and two older foster brothers lost their lives, she alone survived to continue the family legacy. For the eighteen years of her existence, Shinkai believed that this was the duty that Tentei gave her, and she continued to hold that truth in her heart even though it seemed that the heavens had already betrayed her by taking her precious family.

_A duty is an oath that is mostly one-sided, which purpose is only best seen by the one who took pledge. _She frequently thought to herself whenever she felt her will wavering.

_And I know the purpose very well…life in danger condoned is heavier than any mortal sin especially if you have the hands and brains to save it._

The people thought of Shinkai as awfully serious even when treating even a low fever. She would bustle back and forth in her small clinic which was an improvised receiving area complete with medicine bottles, rolls of clean cloths, water basins, and a single white-sheet bed. Then after a while as the patient has comfortably lied down, she would order the others to camp outside. Her mean welcome to non-patients sometimes pissed one or two but soon would realize her point and took the initiative to stay patient and be carefully obedient. The best of the dragging hours waiting for dusk was usually rewarded by a simple, relieved nod of the medicine woman. The worried family then could now rush inside to see the stable condition of the member.

As the villagers celebrate the recovery, the same morbid thoughts polluted her mind as she collected herself at the small peony garden behind her house.

_They'll die eventually. All of them. All of them…no matter hard you try. No matter hard they try._

Shinkai would try not to close her eyes except for quick blinks. She was aware that drifting in the darkness would bring back her painful memories.

_Death is inevitable. No reason to get attached to people._

Being distant like this was the only haven for her to keep her composure from slipping between her fingers. Nothing could come out from being overly caring to her patients as long as she provided them the complete treatment that her resources could offer her, and nothing more. _These people are lucky_, she thought dedicating a satirical smile to her own fleeting mind.

_I am not the person to be nicknamed after the Taiho._ Unlike him, Shinkai was a monster who crossed seas to employ a widespread killing of those who were never to last eternity - the old, the destitute, and the mortally sick. No one knew her true purpose for coming to Kei all the way from Shun, the kingdom of the southeast. Even the guild did not know that she had been inactive from her mission since the new Empress' coronation. Deep inside, however, a pang of nervousness slowly devoured her seclusion. Eyes were looking after her, watching her every move, waiting for the completion of her assignment. They were bound to capture her soon for good.

In her dire condition of living in the shadows she tried to live a normal life and even had a family who accepted her. The neighbors welcomed her when she was dropped off all alone at the age of seven unknowing that she was grasping around her tiny hand a treacherous weapon in a vial. With the females just lately banished, a sight of a new girl excited people. The elders took care of her education about Kei and the way of living there without prying her own background. That was why her mission turned to be so offensive and evil in her view. She could not lay a finger on those villagers whom even in their poor existence managed to raise another person to be aware of the other's existence.

Then, it came to her - an idea that could finally end the horrors of their group. With the knowledge passed on to her by the head of her foster family, Shinkai was able to develop a counterdrug to the poison she was told to use to carry out the genocide. It was really like heaven finally smiled upon her. Things however unfortunately unfurled into lamentable chronicles. That night, in the last year of Yo-Ou, was a death curse blazing in fire, screams, melted skins, and pale complexion with blood pus pockets. If only the provincial lord just listened to her, no one should have lost their lives. Shinkai would not have to hate the queen and the rest of the government that much. But now she had to bear the weight of the sin, the moans of the poor souls whom she left behind.

With more gaiety in the song repeatedly echoing in the distance, she cracked her old door a bit to gaze upon the villagers merrily dancing on the lush meadows. It was truly a peaceful midday and she had never seen the little village so lively. Her feet unconsciously dragged themselves that she was now standing beyond her doorstep facing the low bamboo gate embracing her shack. Sunlight showered on her pallid face and a smile fluttered on her lips.

A hurried shuffling from behind a nearby bush suddenly ripped Shinkai's reflective mood. An old woman with silver hair fixed in a widow's bun, emerged from a bush with a digging tool on her left hand and a grass basket on the other filled with glistening green tea leaves. She took a step backward towards to her door. Seeing this, the herb woman gave her a reassuring smile.

"I guess this lovely day has finally succeeded in luring you out of that prison. Welcome back to the world, Shin."

Shinkai hesitated and nervously looked down. The old woman, named Kaide, was the only one who called her such in a usual warm motherly tone. She established her favorite gathering sites around her home as if to check upon her well-being ever since her family died. Shinkai was very fond of her, too. However, whenever they see each other like this, the herb woman looked older and older that Shinkai sometimes refused to look at her. She did not want the people she loved to age and finally wither to a grave.

As if reading her thoughts, Kaide placed down her heavy basket and curled her gnarled fingers on the smooth bamboo pole gate.

"Really, time is always getting the best of us. We can't get any younger." She bent her back to emphasize her point and gave a quick look at Shinkai. The girl was staring blankly at the ground.

"That's why, I don't like Shin to waste every second following the shadows around, especially of those who already said their final farewells."

"I am not following shadows around. There is no point trying to make me join them."

"Why is that?"

Shinkai bit her lips as she gripped her door even tighter that the soft wood cracked and clippings fell on her feet.

"You were there…I left you…I left my family to die...that night…" Her hands shook as she spoke. The distant singing was fading swiftly with the wind. All was still and quiet as if bearing witness to her words. Kaide looked at the Shinkai's face with warm eyes and redirected them to the small flowers blooming on the bushes inside the gate.

"We all wanted you to be safe, together with the other women."

"But you are a woman, too! Why choose to waste your life?" Listening to the tone of her voice, Shinkai clasped her hands to her mouth. "I…I'm sorry…"

"Shin, I have lived my life, and I wanted to protect those who have not yet lived such a life like me."

"That is so foolish! Why can't people see that their life is not meant to be sacrificed for others! I try my best every time I cure someone so that they could continue experiencing the world. But there you were, choosing to die so that we may live. It is missing the whole point! I just don't get the virtue of sacrificing lives for a better cause! Isn't trying to live already the best cause?"

The old woman smiled sadly. She gazed at the remarkable spread of the Sea of Clouds above them. Farther up on Mt. Gyouten standing in its grand magnificence was the Kinpa Palace where the Empress resided. She strained her eyes as if to pierce the sprawling space and catch a glance of the glorious edifice and remarkable columns.

"You must be seeing things the way you want them, Shin, and I don't fully contradict it. However, sometimes seeing things the way they appear before you is a skill that you must possess."

Shinkai pursed her lips and threw a hard look on Kaide. "You…were not the one given this dreadful mission so you can speak of this…when I have to battle every fighting thought…"

"Mission?"

Realizing her mistake, Shinkai turned away from her and stared at the musty atmosphere of her house.

She said, "None of you could understand me." With that, she closed the door and wandered listlessly in the shadowy room. Only the darkness accompanied her now, just like the days when she was still in Shun. As the daughter of the Minister of Earth, she was kept aware of the situations in every corner of the kingdom. But the unraveling proved to be unfruitful for her as she began to deeply criticize the system to the point that she resented the King.

Shinkai could see however that his Highness was a compassionate and responsible ruler who never deprived his citizens all the help that he could offer. But what was spiteful was that the King focused more on the healthy, more capable part of the populace and almost threw the weak, the old and the handicap to the wolves. And for that, she could not forgive him.

_Sacrifice is a lousy alibi._

When she turned seven, she ran away from home to the point of getting killed by the members of a guild whom she had ran through unknowingly as she left the gates of the central city. Since then, both her mind and soul were tied with darkness. Not only that she had betrayed those whom she cared so much, but also she had betrayed herself. The guild was founded to eradicate the so-called weak, whom Shinkai deep within her heart wanted to protect.

Kaide watched the door slam before her face. Telling these things to Shinkai was really a difficult task, but she did not want to give up. The elders in that little village believe in the girl's powerful mind to think about issues critically. What made it difficult for them to feed her the information was that she was a definite skeptic. Her dogmas were quite easy to rebut, but her arguments really have a certain pang of bitter reality, too, that even the elders had to reconsider. As far as she knew, Shinkai before coming to the village experienced a very likely traumatic undertaking. Kaide wanted to take care of her, especially her good mind which in the near future might of service to those around her and to herself.

The town lights at the approaching dusk were a sight to behold. Ten years paved way for more households to be established in the provinces that when gazed from above looked like pinpoints of faint glowing stars shining on a black drape of night. Most of the families have enough money to pay for extra oil for their lamps and more candles. Not even a stray dog would get lost with the roads properly lighted. This was one of the signs that Kei was really developing into a better kingdom, blossoming with life. But soundlessly a great shadow was lurking - patiently waiting to overcome life itself.


	2. Chapter 2: Danger Lurking

From above where the winds were high, Youko, also known as the Royal Kei, was flashing a relieved smile. She decided to ride on Hyouki to visit the provinces within a quick aerial tour. Still at the body of an attractive seventeen-year old girl, her reputation as Empress however was taking a deliberate road to prestige. Experiences strengthened her bonds among her trusted ministers and the rest of her government, together with the intuitive advices of the Taiho, Keiki.

"You are doing well, as far as I observe. Stay in that course and you might just wake up one day you have reigned for a hundred years." Shouryuu, the Royal En, remarked as she visited the following morning. They were discussing about the remaining refugees of Kei in the Kingdom of En.

Youko shook her head. "I am very much further away from being that kind of a ruler. There are still many things to be accomplished back in Kei, and I need all the time that I have to complete them."

With an amused look, Shouryuu slid back to his chair and gave her a teasing smile. "Now, aren't you serious like your Taiho."

The Royal Kei sighed and gazed at the fair fine greenery flourishing outside the window. "I want to rebut strongly but I guess it's true. After all, Keiki is always working hard, and I have still have a lot to learn. But really, he needs to stop scolding me."

King En nodded and perched his chin on his palm as he threw his gaze on the same scenery.

"It might be because you are requiring less of his presence now…you have been running Kei in an admirable way for such a beginner in this world." Youko gave him a long look. Shouryuu met her eyes and smiled.

"But you know it is such a relief for us to finally find Kei stable and constantly progressing. I bet you are more than ready in facing your own tenth year hurdle.."

He waited for her reaction. Youko gave him a puzzled look. Sure she once heard that longer ruling kings and empresses passed their first ten years with a major problem which would eventually give them the full capacity to govern a peaceful and relatively wealthy kingdom for another fifty years or so. But she never thought about the nature of that "problem" except that it would be a powerful threat like a rebellion or the like.

"I heard of it once." Youko looked down on her hands and laced her fingers. "Do I have to worry about that?"

Shouryuu shrugged and rose from his chair to take a closer look by the window. "You are the Queen of Kei. Youko, you are the first person to gauge the prowess of your people and your crown."

Hearing the composed tone of King En's voice, Youko had to pout. "When would you adults talk to younger ones in understandable terms?"

The Royal En laughed. Just then, the door opened in an excited swing and a golden-haired young man entered with a faint scowl on his bright face. Following him was a gray-furred rat almost having the same height as him.

"Rokuta!" Shouryuu exclaimed as the kirin slumped on the seat next to him. "Can't we even hear a knock?"

"Your minister woke me up late!" He pouted as he grabbed a pink peach from the nearby fruit bowl.

"Trying to wake you up for ten times is not included in the minister's line of work."

Youko let out an amused smile. She redirected her gaze to the creature standing before her. It nodded to her and took an adjacent seat.

"Rakushun. It has been a while."

"Ten years was short, wasn't it, and you have become a very good queen, Youko."

"Thanks to everyone, I managed to get through with special nonstop airing of Keiki's schedule from morning till night."

Rakushun smiled. "Still, you are the same Youko as ever."

The Royal Kei gave him a quick nod. "Guess so. Koukan and Enho are really trying hard not to get me into trouble when my statements hardly make it to the "dignified speech" scale during court meetings and such."

Rakushun was about to answer when Rokuta jumped from behind them.

"Hey!" They both chimed.

"Haha, sorry."

Rakushun met Enki's eyes and nodded. He turned to Youko with a serious face now. Rokuta sat back to his chair.

"We came here not only just to see you, Youko." He began giving a quick glance at the King En. Shouryuu was glancing at some documents laid out in front of him.

Rokuta was the one who took the cue and spoke. "Shun just lost their king. He abdicated after killing about one hundred thousand people mostly those who you would call the "weak" part of the society. The others were the part of the rebellion who rose up against him. But it still rumored that some of the bodies were not included in this count and were burned."

He shifted uneasily and stretched his gaze at the pile of papers and scrolls on the Royal En's table. The room fell awfully quiet and the only sound that could be heard was the hurried footsteps outside the door. Youko looked at the three with profound curiosity now. They looked really troubled and it seemed that whatever this problem was, it was no trivial matter. Being just at ten-year mark, the Royal Kei saw every experience as a vital requirement especially when it concerns angles that she had not had a chance to look upon. She, Keiki, and the kingdom had still many things to get their hands and minds in to. The King En and Enki, and even Rakushun, were knowledgeable in the matters that currently affect En and the other kingdoms. It would surely be a serious undertaking as when they tried to help Tai and find Taiki in Yamato.

"The number is not what worries us though," Shouryuu pulled on to his feet and walked to the tall wooden shelf and faced the scrolls neatly arranged. Then he turned to meet Youko's eyes.

"It is how they did it."

Youko tilted her head in puzzlement. "What do you mean?"

"It is normal for us to hear such a large number of deaths during a war, but this one is different." Rakushun nodded at King En as he answered Youko's question.

"I was with Rokuta when we inquired about the people's situation in Shun. The people do not remember having a large enough war to cause such deaths in such a short period of time."

"How long are we talking about?"

"Three months."

The revelation struck her cold like ice. Unknowingly, she felt shivers ran down her spine. Of course it was not new to her to hear such a deed, given that she knew Shoukei's father killed six hundred thousand. However, it was a different and notably more intimidating to have a report about such a happening very close to her kingdom.

Rokuta observed the color draining from the Royal Kei's face. He folded up his legs on his seat and arched his hands so his chin could rest upon it. He knew that being very close to Kei, Youko had to be disturbed. But not even he had the full details that he could not offer a tangible solution. Shouryuu was likewise in deep thought.

"The kirin of Shun, Shunki, after recovering from the shitsudou postponed his search for the king to be able to address the emergencies of the kingdom. As the Taiho, he had to establish at least an interim court to lead the land until a new ruler has been chosen. He has a very "strong" attitude like Hanrin, but he is usually sarcastic rather than acting like a spoiled child, and because he could not believe he had caused great suffering to the people by choosing Ko-Ou, he wanted to carefully take his time."

"Shunki is trying his best to gather up the remaining pillars of Shun to support the kingdom. A report also was written that Sou is already lending a hand by accepting refugees and sending financial help to Shun. Shunki must have requested their aid as soon as he got better. Other than that, he also launched an investigation on the mysterious deaths."

In anticipation, Youko gripped the armrest of the chair. "What had become of it?"

A dark expression passed over like a cloud on Shouryuu's face. "He discovered the reason apparently, but he never told the people. What reached us was a warning, to be careful of letting the refugees mingle with the common folk around the whole kingdom. He encourages us not bring them as far as north, or send them back to Shun."

It was not new to Youko, too. The scenario has been lectured many times when she was still a high school student in Yamato. Shunki was trying to establish a quarantine and isolation. These are techniques to prevent a spread of a disease. Whatever it was, the kirin of Shun did not want the other kingdom to panic until he found all about the details of the sickness, especially the cure.

"It's a disease." Youko breathed out as she straightened her back on the chair. The three nodded in agreement.

"When we first talked about this, we all surmised what you did, but still we only have that alone as a lead." Rokuta said as he tossed back a peach to the fruit bowl.

"For now, we have to trust Shunki." Rakushun said in a grim tone. He certainly wanted to understand more of the subject. But with their limited knowledge in medicine, they could do but to feed on the little light that the kirin and the people give them.

"Shun is the kingdom of medicinal practices…they know more than what we do. But it they are having a hard time, it means we have something really unexplored."

"Whatever you do, Youko, keep your eyes open. This is a problem not even I can be fully sure of."


	3. Chapter 3 and 4: Fallen King

The mountain which pinnacle pierced the Sea of Clouds looked more majestic when viewed from below. People in the central city of Bai used to marvel at its towering peaks, pride overflowing their hearts as the righteous king ruled above. But now, their eyes beseeched more than the beauty of the mountain but the answer to their supplications.

Not long after the one hundred thousand people mysteriously died from all over Shun, youma which were only encountered at the far-off coasts began their rampage in the kingdom. Every day was a nightmare and memories of the distant past came rushing into their heads. Shunki was doing his best to reassure them, but only the shallowest of their concerns were assuaged. They want the horrors to stop. The raging death curse must be put to end, with or without a king.

Organizing an interim court was a tough undertaking. As the Taiho, he had to lead the Rikkan and their subordinates. For the moment, he had to take under his wing even those whom he had seen askance thinking that he was going to need every capable man that he could gather. Of course, nervous whispering did not escape his ears.

The people's hearts were in so much confusion and maintaining his composure helped both the citizens and himself. Shunki, however, did not know how much longer he had to endure. Without the Royal Shun, he had to dispatch the army at the eight provinces, not to mention around the Water Mirage Palace, Mizushinkirou (水蜃気楼) and brace himself for the bloodbath that might occur, either among other men or the youma. The worse unfortunately was yet to come.

Two weeks ago, Shunki combed the eight provinces to assemble the best doctors that the kingdom has to research about the mysterious deaths. He had a strong feeling that it has something to do with an unkown disease. There were distinct patterns about the remains of the citizens.

He could not stand to see so much suffering and blood, so the only plan left was to call the experts. Until now, however, no solid report has been sent to him. The course of events was not getting any better, and he had to find the king soon or Shun would be devoid of life. Surely, this time after the late Ko-ou, was the living nightmare of the land.

Seeking the help of neighboring kingdoms must be the best decision that Shunki could do, but his intuition dictated him otherwise. If really a sickness was on the spread carried by the refugees, it would cause panic to the people and therefore might result to graver bedlam. But he did send courtier bearing the warning about the highly possible situation.

The Royal En and the Royal Kei responded to his letter two days ago saying that they would cooperate with the measures being developed by the kingdom of Shun. With this, the Taiho had to smile. At least, he had a couple of trustworthy monarchs supporting him. Death tolls were rising every passing day and the paranoia was certainly spreading. As he went into his rounds around the whole land, there were less people in the areas where the recurrent deaths occurred. The people had evacuated for good. Uneasiness growing into deep anxiety welled inside him as the aura of the next king never seemed to be coming from anywhere in Shun. Questions gather up like the piles of problems he already had on his shoulders. In a great deal, he truly needed his better half. He had to find him soon.

Shinkai raised her head as she heard loud rustling through the window she was sitting by. She placed down her grinder on the ceramic bowl and peered to the rich greenery of her backyard. A short figure wearing soft lilac kimono bobbed from behind a bush. Her brown hair flowed down her shoulders as she inclined her head in an amused fashion. She was about ten to eleven years old with round hazelnut eyes. Shinkai felt her jaw drop as the little girl pushed herself up towards the sill of her window.

"Hello, Shinshin!"

Her eyes fell down on the child and a slight curve emerged from her face. Shinkai pulled her up and made her sit beside her.

"So Karin, how did you manage to get in this time?"

"Not telling…" Karin answered with a big smile.

Shinkai sighed with a wider grin now. Karin like Kaide was an important person to her. She was like her tiny apprentice as she could learn faster than any other kids in the village. Every fourth day, she would come sneaking around her yard to get another set of skills to hone. Karin was the daughter of the leader of the village. Shinkai met her when she had cured her from a deep wound infection when she cut herself with a rusty dagger of her father's. After knowing how she helped her, Karin would not let her alone. For that, she felt very happy.

"Alright, I'll figure it out eventually." Shinkai announced out loud with a wink. Karin laughed. She jumped from her seat and pulled something out of her obi belt. It was a slender box with intricate carvings.

Shinkai gaped at her as the little girl gently tugged her hand and placed the box on her palm.

"My birthday gift for you, Shinshin."

"Birthday gift? But…" Shinkai threw her an inquisitive look. Karin simply smiled.

"We may not know your real birthday and maybe even the rest of your past before coming to live with us here in Kei. But from now on, you can begin a new life here…and also a new date for your birthday. A brand new place brings a new wave of chances, won't you agree?"

Shinkai turned around as tears fell from her eyes. _They don't know anything and yet…I tried to kill them…it was my mission, and yet…_

Karin noticed this and grabbed a chair for Shinkai. "Come on, open it."

Covered in soft pearly silk embroidered with flush sakura blossoms was a delicately ornamented hair stick. It was polished from the finest silver and gold with decorative irises made of deep lapis lazuli and aquamarine stones at the end. Small teardrops of emerald dangle with the bejeweled flowers. Shinkai did not know where to begin to adore the accessory. She just gave Karin knitting eyebrows. The little girl giggled and reached for the hair stick. Then she tried to fix her hair with it.

"The townspeople are very thankful that they have you here in You, especially in this southernmost town of Sui. We don't blame the queen much though. It is understandable."

"No, it is a grave mistake." Shinkai rattled her with a stern voice.

"What is?"

"The Queen must have an equal eye for everyone. Not because You province has not yet been supporting the kingdom due to the damage caused by the previous wars and youma attacks that she would not mind us going to desolation."

"Shinkai, do you plan to go to Gyouten?"

"I just might. It's a three-month journey, though, and I don't want the people here to be helpless when I am gone." Shinkai pushed herself up and leaned on the windowsill. It was nearing dusk soon, and the cicadas were starting to chirp.

"You have to live a life, too, Shinkai. Seirou, the only scholar of our town is very fond of you. He wanted to talk with you more but he could not get the chance."

"Karin," Shinkai gave the little girl a faceless mask and touched her shoulder gently. "I'm walking you home."

Ж

"So what did she say?" Seirou placed the thick civil record books on the polished paulownia wood. His handsome face was bright, with cool brown eyes darting gracefully across the space towards the frowning girl at the nearby desk. Karin sighed and twirled the vibrant plums inside the fruit bowl.

"She sent me through the door when I mentioned your name."

Seirou paused for a while and then let out a soft chuckle. His expression did not even dim even slightly. Karin pouted and threw him a book. The scholar caught it in one hand and placed the skin-bound pages neatly in the shelf. He then took a seat near the window and gazed at the early morning sky laden with light autumn clouds. A slightly morose expression now emerged from his face. Karin had to sigh.

"If I were you, I would go straight to her and confess."

"I don't want to push her to notice my feelings…She is hardcore, you know."

Karin walked to him and gave him a playful knock on the head. "Shinshin really fits to be your wife…so stop being so apprehensive when you haven't tried yet."

"Karin, no matter how strong my feelings are I want them to appeal to her naturally. I am contented if you will respect her as individual who also has her own convictions."

"I hate it when you are talking like a scholar."

"It's because I am." He smiled.

Karin crossed her arms and rested her chin on the window sill. Seirou leaned his back on the wall and waited for her to speak.

"Shinshin…she really has been bearing something heavy in her heart. I am not so sure but I think she is restraining herself from us because of that."

Seirou was quiet hearing these words. None of the villagers really would know. But he did. He was there when it all happened. It was because Seirou, before being adopted by a minister in Kei and becoming a scholar, came from the same land as Shinkai. He knew her longer than anyone else in You.

"Don't worry…Shinkai is as good and gentle as we knew of her since the beginning."

"I strongly believe so, too."

Seirou sighed in relief as he saw Karin's expression lighten up. It was true that he has really liked Shinkai since they were little children back in the southern kingdom of Shun, but she was of higher status, and he was just a lowly son of a farmer. He followed her when she ran away until she became one of the developers of the "project". Seirou never knew what it was, but Shinkai definitely regretted deeply about its endpoint. She never showed up when he told her to see him again just like what they did every other night. The next thing he knew, she was gone. Fate might have dictated that they should both land in Kei as the Royal Shun fell. One thing was clear to him for sure though - the reported mysterious deaths of the refugees from the far southeastern kingdom were because of the "project".


End file.
